Sydney FC 2-1 Newcastle Jets
By Callum Logie (21/01/24).
Above: Madeleine Caspers celebrates scoring against the Newcastle Jets. Photo: Sydney FC
A very hot Leichardt Oval in Sydney hosted Sydney FC’s clash with the Newcastle Jets without coach Gary Van Egmond.
Sydney FC came into the game off a very memorable 1-2 home defeat thanks to some last gasp heroics from the Central Coast Mariners. The Newcastle Jets on the other hand came in after a controversial 2-1 victory over the Brisbane Roar which made for an intriguing clash between the two teams.
Sydney FC made a few changes with Cortnee Vine making her first start of 2024 for Sydney FC. Shay Hollman and Madeleine Caspers also got starts in the midfield as the team looks to turn around their fortunes. Indiana Dos Santos also got the start on the wing with Princess Ibini moving to the centre forward role.
The Newcastle Jets also made a few changes with Melina Ayres getting the start up front. The more attacking formation for the Jets meant that they played with three at the back, as Josie Wilson joined Natasha Prior and Claudia Cicco as the back three.
The match started with some solid possession for Sydney FC. They went for a ground passing approach in the early minutes which Newcastle held strong against, the most notable chance being a tame Vine effort across goal which was held comfortably by Isobel Nino.
At the 10 minute mark, the first clear-cut chance came off the back of a Jets corner. It was however the subsequent breakaway as Charlotte McClean lobbed a clearance that Cortnee Vine ran onto. An early through ball released Mackenzie Hawkesby who rounded the keeper but this gave Libby Copus-Brown time to track back and clear the ball away as the last defender.
Two minutes later, Hawkesby was caught offside after running slightly too early onto a Vine through ball. Hawkesby directed the ball past Isobel Nino but the flag denied Sydney FC the opening goal of the contest.
These missed chances proved to be the undoing of Sydney FC as Sarina Bolden netted her seventh goal of the season with a well hit header off a beautifully weighted cross from Lauren Allan. A clinical breakaway from the Jets made it 1-0 to the visitors.
In the following 15 minutes, a determined Vine was peppering Nino’s goal with a series of efforts including an attempted lob from the right wing and a cut inside that struck the outside of the post before deflecting out.
After the second drinks break at 32 minutes, Mindy Barbieri forced a good save out of Jada Mathyssen Whyman as her long-range boot tested Whyman who dove low to her right to make the save. Besides the goal, this was Newcastle’s only impactful attack of the half.
Hawkesby struck a well driven effort from outside the box which was held well by Isobel Nino at the 45 minute mark. This lead to another quick move forward for the Jets which Ayres curled over the bar from outside the box.
Cortnee Vine hit the woodwork again at 47 minutes as a terrific weighted ball over sent her in on goal. Indiana Dos Santos sprinted in to strike the rebound which was bravely cleared away by a very impressive Claudia Cicco.
Early in the second half, Sydney FC won a corner. Kate Hawkesby’s floated delivery to the far post led to a well-struck Tori Tumeth header which flew just off target.
Indiana Dos Santos from the left wing managed to get an excellent cross to the far post which found Vine for her third effort striking the post. Vine’s tenacity did not waver though as she got back onto the rebound and lobbed the ball back across which 16 year-old Caspers nodded home from two yards. The 16 year-old was ecstatic for her first senior goal with the club as Sydney FC found their equaliser at 53 minutes.
Sydney’s change of approach in the second half was to integrate more wing play on both sides to prevent from Vine becoming isolated with multiple defenders. Vine and Hawkesby regularly made breaks forward and the midfield three for Sydney FC worked very hard to continue creating chances.
At the other end, Newcastle won two consecutive free kicks, the second of which was just outside the box. Mindy Barbieri struck the crossbar with her direct effort from the free kick which nearly put the Jets right back in front within 10 minutes of the equaliser.
After 65 minutes in 35C plus temperatures, the heat was starting to have an impact on the players as passes forward weren’t ran onto as sharply as they had been earlier in the game and the level of pressing from each side was not quite as high as in the first half.
At 82 minutes, Davis had a half chance for the Jets which went over the bar after a back heel from Bolden allowed Davis a clear look at goal from the edge of the box. Despite the heat, the game remained physical throughout the contest, both teams desperate to get the edge in possession.
The rest of the contest remained tight and tense but a ball chipped forward by Kirsty Fenton released 17 year-old substitute Zara Kruger, who was able to strike a terrific half volley past an oncoming Nino to seal a 96thminute winner. This marked the first time since round 6 that Sydney FC scored multiple goals in a match and two teenage midfielders were able to strike in a hugely important win for the Sky Blues.
Teams:
SYDNEY FC (4-3-3): Whyman, Tumeth, J.Thompson, McLean, Fenton, Hollman, Caspers, Hawkesby, Vine, Ibini, I. Dos Santos. Substitutes: Franco, Chauvet, Kruger, J. Dos Santos, Keane.
Scorers: Caspers 53’, Kruger 96′.
NEWCASTLE JETS (3-1-4-2): Nino, Wilson, Prior, Cicco, Baumann, Davis, Copus-Brown, Allan, Barbieri, Bolden, Ayres. Substitutes: Rochaix, Hammond, Gooch, Karipidis, Hoban
Scorers: Bolden 16′.
Referee: Caitlin Williams
Attendance: TBC
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